If you’ve had your computer for a few years, you will almost certainly notice that it doesn’t feel as snappy as it did initially. Windows 11 PCs aren’t immune to this issue; applications might install background processes that run at boot, for example, and unnecessary files can build up over time. But you don’t have to reinstall Windows to speed up your operating system. This guide recommends some easy and free fixes that will help, along with a few hardware upgrades. I also recommend upgrading your PC to Windows 11 if it’s still running Windows 10. Windows 11 is more secure than Windows 10, and it may even be a little faster.
1. Uninstall Crapware
Installed Apps section (Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)
Although the situation is improving, new computers come with a lot of unnecessary software, sometimes called bloatware, crapware, or PUPs(potentially unwanted programs). A few years ago, a Lenovo PC I tested had nearly 20 so-called helper programs that would occasionally pop up and interrupt what I was doing.
Right-click on any unwanted app icon in the Start menu and choose Uninstall. Doing so will either immediately uninstall the program or take you to the relevant Settings page where you can do so. You can also right-click on the Windows Start button and choose Installed Apps at the top. Or just type “programs” in the search box next to the Start button.
You can usually find crapware culprits by sorting the list of installed apps by the name of your PC maker. Alternatively, you can sort by the recent (to find any programs you might have accidentally installed) or size (to get rid of very large apps you don’t need) attributes. When you find junk apps you don’t want, select them and click Uninstall. You can remove only one at a time, so set aside a quarter of an hour or so for this project if you find a bunch of bloatware.
Don’t forget to take the hatchet to apps you installed yourself but no longer want—and the software you don’t want that came with the software you do want. But in no scenario should you reinstall Windows; you’ll likely cause more issues than you’ll solve.
Keep in mind that Windows programs can be traditional desktop apps or those from the Microsoft Store. Both kinds appear in the modern Settings app’s Apps & Features section. For non-Store apps, you can alternatively head to the Control Panel. In either place, you get the same sorting and search options.
Windows Features window in Control Panel (Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)
In the Control Panel’s Programs > Programs and Features section, you can also click Turn Windows Features On or Offand scan the list to see if there’s anything you’re sure you’ll never use.
2. Limit Startup Processes
Startup apps in the Task Manager (Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)
A lot of programs install side processes that run every time you start your PC, and some of them are not things you need active on your system all the time. With earlier Windows versions, you had to run the MSCONFIG utility from the command prompt to manage these. You still can, and you might do so to prevent auto-running servicesand programs. But Windows also gives you an easier way to limit programs that run at startup in the updated Task Manager.
The easiest way to invoke the Task Manager is by pressing Ctrl-Shift-Esc. Switch to the Startuptab, and all the programs that load with Windows will appear. The dialog box even has a column that shows you the Startup impact for each. Some of these may say “Not measured,” in which case you can assume the worst.
The Status column shows whether the program runs at startup. Right-click on an entry to change this status. It’s usually fairly easy to see things you don’t want to run. For example, if you almost never use iTunes, you probably don’t need iTunesHelper running all the time.
3. Clean Up Your Disk
Storage Sense section (Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)
With SSDs now more common than hard disks, you’re less likely to run into slowdowns due to time-consuming storage access. Nevertheless, an overly full SSD can also slow down your PC.To keep excess storage usage to a minimum, enable Windows’ Storage Sense’s two automatic cleanup options: Cleanup of Temporary Files and Automatic User Content Cleanup.
The first automatically frees up space by removing temporary files and Recycle Bin items. And the second frees up space when it gets low enough to slow down your system. Here’s a full rundown on how to use the options here.
4. Check for Viruses and Spyware
Malwarebytes scan screen (Credit: MalwareBytes)
Viruses can certainly be a culprit in the case of PC slowdowns. To check for viruses and spyware, you can run Microsoft Defender, but you’re best off with dedicated malware removal software. Don’t forget to use ongoing antivirus protection, either. Some of those products have a lighter footprint on system performance than others. Some solutions are even free.
5. Change the Power Mode to Best Performance
Power & Battery section (Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)
Changing the power setting on your PC to Best Performance could boost computing speed, though it will also draw more electricity, a concern if you’re running a laptop on battery power. Head to Settings > System > Power & Battery, as shown in the screenshot above.
Another simple power hack that can improve performance is to plug in your laptop rather than using battery power…that is, if you’re near an outlet. This usually makes the screen brighter and opens the throttle on your CPU and other power-consuming yet performance-enhancing features.
6. Find and Fix Misbehaving Processes
Processes in the Task Manager (Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)
Misbehaving programs can sometimes use large amounts of CPU and memory, slowing down your computer in the process. If Windows feels particularly slow at any moment, you can look at the Task Manager (Ctrl-Shift-Esc) to identify the cause. Click the CPU heading in the Processes pane to sort the list with the processes using the most CPU at the top, or click the Memory heading to see which processes are using the most RAM.
If an application is consistently using a large amount of CPU, especially when you’re not interacting with it, you might need to close and re-open it. You could also restart your computer or end the task from the Task Manager, although you’ll lose any unsaved work. If a program frequently uses lots of re
7. Keep Windows Up-to-Date
Windows Update section (Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)
Windows automatically installs updates unless you pause them, and you canperiodically head to Settings > Windows Update to ensure your PC is up-to-date. They might help your PC run because they can include system software components and hardware driver updates. You can even delay any major updates in the same section if you don’t yet want to install them.
It’s possible to schedule updates to run during hours you won’t need the PC or pause them when you don’t want interruptions. Under Advanced Options, the Get Me Up to Date choice will automatically restart your computer whenever an update is available, giving you a 15-minute warning. It’s not a bad idea if you prioritize keeping your PC as current as possible, though complaints over the years about interruptions from Windows updates have convinced Microsoft to make this setting optional. Some types of updates, such as virus definition list updates, don’t require a restart.
8. Run Troubleshooters
Troubleshoot section (Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)
Click the Start button and search for “troubleshoot.” Windows recommends troubleshooting utilities you should run, and you can choose to run them automatically or manually. For good measure, run the other troubleshooters, including Hardware and Devices, Windows Store Apps, and Search and Indexing. (If your PC is very old and slow, you might want to disable Search Indexing altogether.)
You should also open the Control Panel and head to System > Security > Security and Maintenance page (or just type “maintenance” in the Start menu search box). Next, click Maintenance, and then Start Maintenance. It happens automatically on a daily schedule, and you can change the time it runs.
9. Install and Run Microsoft PC Manager
Microsoft PC Manager (Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)
Microsoft makes a utility called PC Manager, which the company claims can speed up your PC with a single click. The app brings together several Windows performance optimizers that you could also dig through Settings to find, along with a RAM cleanup function.
In testing, we found that the utility actually did improve performance—though minimally. It could be worth a try, if just to clean out unwanted storage-hogging data. PC Manager also includes a Health Check function that evaluates your computer’s network and storage status, among other aspects.
10. Add More RAM (If You Can)
Kingston Fury Renegade DDR5 RAM ( Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Windows 11 manages memory more efficiently than earlier versions of the OS, but more memory can potentially speed up PC operations. The bigger RAM brands, such as Corsair and Kingston, offer product finders on their websites that show you which type of RAM your PC takes. Prices have unfortunately gone up recently for desktops and laptops, with AI companies competing for parts.
Adding RAM isn’t always an option, however, so not everyone will be able to use this tip. Some business and gaming laptops often still allow RAM upgrades, but that’s becoming rarer. Modern, slim ultrabooks and convertibles usually have fixed memory.
11. Install an SSD Startup Drive
WD Blue SN5100 SSD ( Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Installing and running demanding applications such as Adobe Photoshop happens much faster with an SSD. An SSD also greatly benefits Windows at startup. You can easily move apps from the Microsoft Store from a spinning hard drive to an SSD in the Settings’ Apps and Features page. Ideally, you should replace your internal startup hard drive if your PC doesn’t already have one, but an external SSD with a USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt connection can also give you a speed boost.
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12. Change the System Appearance in Performance Options
Visual Effects window (Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)
Changing your system’s appearance in the performance options might help speed up a very old PC. You can easily get to this setting (which uses a legacy interface) in Windows 11 by typing adjust appearance in the Start menu’s search box. Alternatively, you can search for “performance”
In the dialog, use the Adjust for Best Performance option at the top or manually select what features you can live without from the long list of check boxes. If you choose the Best Performance option, you lose all the visual effects. For example, you won’t see the contents of a window while you’re dragging it, but rather just a rectangle representing the window’s edges. Keeping the effects that you enjoy checked in the dialog is probably a better way to go.
13. Keep Your PC Cool
Canned air can clear out dust inside your PC’s ports (Credit: Charles Jefferies)
Computers throttle when they get too hot, slowing down their processing speed to avoid damage to the hardware. If your PC’s hardware is heating up and can’t properly cool itself, you can likely speed it up by improving its cooling.
Ensure any fans are unblocked and have good airflow. Don’t put a desktop PC in a cabinet with poor air flow or place a laptop directly on a blanket that blocks its vents. You may also want to dust your PCto improve airflow.
14. Turn Off Search Indexing
Search Indexing window (Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)
Especially for lower-powered PCs, search indexing can eat up system re this won’t appeal to you, as it might make these operations slower
To turn off indexing, open the Indexing Options Control Panel window (you can also just type “index” in the Start button search box to see Indexing Options at the top of the result list). Click Modifyand uncheck locations you don’t want indexed. You probably have to expand the subfolders under your user folder to make sensible choices. Choosing Advancedlets you decide which file types Windows should index.
15. Turn Off Tips and Notifications
Notifactions section (Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)
It might seem odd for a tips article to tell you to turn off Windows’ Tips feature, but it can reduce the processing that Windows does to display relevant advice for your system. The same is true for Notifications. Notifications are often lightweight, but they can sometimes cause noticeable slowdowns in games and other full-screen applications.
Simply open the Settings app’s System > Notifications page to change the notification settings. You can turn all notifications off at the top, but if you scroll down, you see a list of individual apps that can send notifications; uncheck those you don’t want to hear from. Way at the bottom of the list is the Additional Settings option; expand this to see the Get Tips and Suggestions checkbox, which toggles the aforementioned advice. The lack of distractions can, if nothing else, make you perceive that your computer is running faster.
An easy way to pause notifications is to tap the Do Not Disturb button (a bell icon with overlaid Zs) atop the right-hand Notifications sidebar. This button makes it easy to re-enable notifications later, too.
16. A Bonus for Gamers: Game Mode and Other Game Settings
Game Mode section (Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)
Windows 11 comes with a Game Mode, which does a few things to improve your PC’s performance while you’re gaming. You enable this in Settings > Gaming. It limits background tasks, pauses notifications, prevents the PC from updating the OS, and (according to Microsoft documentation) “helps achieve a more stable frame rate depending on the specific game and system.” It’s on by default for detected games.
Note that performance tests around the web have shown that results vary by game and hardware setup, so you might want to test performance with it both on and off.
Another relevant option in Settings > System > Display > Graphics is Optimizations for Windowed Games. This may beoff by default, but it “transitions compatible games from the legacy blt‑model presentation to the newer flip‑model, reducing frame latency and enabling modern gaming features such as Auto HDR and variable refresh rate on supported displays.” You can also customize this setting for individual games
About Our Experts
Michael Muchmore
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I’ve been testing PC and mobile software for more than 20 years, focusing on photo and video editing, operating systems, and web browsers. Prior to my current role, I covered software and apps for ExtremeTech and headed up PCMag’s enterprise software team. I’ve attended trade shows for Microsoft, Google, and Apple and written about all of them and their products.
I still get a kick out of seeing what’s new in video and photo editing software, and how operating systems change over time. I was privileged to byline the cover story of the last print issue of PC Magazine, the Windows 7 review, and I’ve witnessed every Microsoft misstep and win, up to the latest Windows 11.
I’m an avid bird photographer and traveler—I’ve been to 40 countries, many with great birds! Because I’m also a classical music fan and former performer, I’ve reviewed streaming services that emphasize classical music.
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Chris Hoffman
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I’ve been writing about technology for more than 15 years and using it in earnest for over twice as long. As a member of PCMag’s software team, I focus on Windows coverage, but also write about other key desktop operating systems and system apps. (I used Windows 3.1 upon its release and have followed every subsequent release closely).
Prior to joining PCMag, I wrote for How-To Geek starting in 2011, and my articles amassed over a billion page views. I went on to run the publication as editor-in-chief for four and a half years. I have also contributed to Computerworld, Fast Company, PCWorld, Reader’s Digest, The New York Times, and many other outlets about everything from AI to PC hardware to Windows. I founded and ran my own direct-to-reader Windows-focused newsletters, Windows Intelligence and The Windows ReadMe, working in partnership with Thurrott.com.
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